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Tag: Brother Vellies

  • Your Guide to Gifting Black-Owned Brands at Every Price Point

    Your Guide to Gifting Black-Owned Brands at Every Price Point

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    Photo:

    Who What Wear

    There’s an old adage around gifts that states, “It’s the thought that counts,” and I’d argue it’s both true and false. This year’s holiday season and gifts will (and should) be different because anything we buy at this moment in time will directly affect the businesses we’re buying from. And it’s more important than ever to support Black-owned fashion brands and beauty brands

    Over the past few years, the world has continued to grapple with systemic racism and police brutality, and that awareness has extended into every facet of life. The New York Times reported that only 12% of Black business owners received funding to help their businesses through this time. This fact doesn’t even remotely speak to how Black creatives struggle to break into and stay in the fashion industry. As individuals, we may not be able to reform industries or business financing, but we can support the brands that align with our values and practice conscious consumption.

    So ahead, you’ll find a few gift ideas that reinvigorate thoughtful gift gifting. If you are lucky enough to be able to give gifts to your loved ones this year, why not show some love to one of these 72 Black-owned fashion, beauty, and wellness brands?

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    Jasmine Fox-Suliaman

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  • Aurora James: Fashion Designer, Thought Leader, Activist, and New Author

    Aurora James: Fashion Designer, Thought Leader, Activist, and New Author

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    You talk about the history of your parents and a lot about your mother. You talk about the 15 Percent Pledge. I’m wondering how you thought about the flow as you went along and if it changed at all as you wrote.

    Yeah, it changed a lot. In the beginning, it started out with the Pledge. It started out in the present day, and then I wanted to go back to my childhood. But then I realized I was feeling like I had to start with the Pledge to make it relevant at all. 

    When I started writing about my childhood, I realized this isn’t just my childhood. It’s so many of our childhoods, actually. I don’t need the KPIs that have netted out in my adulthood to validate my childhood experience and the complexities that were there.

    I think for me, the anger needed to be understood, as well, because I’ve had these moments where I’ve been really angry—and I’m not an angry person. But it was super valid. I was so angry at my mom for years, and I was so angry at society for feeling like they were just writing off women. Even with fashion. It’s like, “Oh, what are these girls doing over there with their polka dots or whatever.” It’s kind of like f-you.

    We have real businesses. We’re doing real things. We have a big impact on the economy. We have a big community amongst each other. We can actually affect change and do something. You don’t have to be this man sitting here telling us what we can or can’t do, how you want us to be, or how we need to be submissive to you.

    I just can’t hold anger for very long. I have to find a way to channel it. The book hopefully pinpoints out to people some of the ways in which I chose to channel my anger and let it go. Carrying this baggage around with you is a heavy load. You’ve got to stop and open it sometimes. I’m not saying you have to abandon all the luggage—because I truly don’t believe that’s possible—but if we’re carrying something, we have the right to know what we are carrying, and some of it we may want to leave behind at different points to lighten the load for ourselves.

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    Madeline Hill

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  • Yep, the Moda Operandi and Fifteen Percent Pledge Trunkshow Is Everything

    Yep, the Moda Operandi and Fifteen Percent Pledge Trunkshow Is Everything

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    Photo:

    Moda Operandi/Sukeina.

    Launched in 2020, the Fifteen Percent Pledge envisioned a new future for retail: 15% of shelf space dedicated to Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. The percentage (which represents the demographic of Black people in the United States) seems minute at first glance, but in a climate where Black brands are historically looked over, the ask was radical. The idea for the pledge came to Brother Vellies creative director Aurora James following the murder of George Floyd, as a way for companies to take actionable steps toward racial equity. In the span of a few years, the non-profit organization has partnered with over 28 retailers including Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Sephora, funneling $10B in revenue toward Black-owned businesses in the process.

    As the next phase of Fifteen Percent Pledge’s vision, the non-profit has partnered with Moda Operandi to spotlight black designers making waves in fashion right now. The 8 selected brands are featured in a special trunk show, where designs from each are available for pre-order for a limited time. Specially curated by James herself, along with Moda Operandi’s merchandising team, the roster of names includes buzzy emerging labels like Head of State, Agbobly, and Sukeina—all of which were 2022 CFDA Fashion Fund Finalists—as well as brands OnlyChild and  Dur Doux. Rounding out the ready-to-wear offerings in the show are Sunni Sunni, a unisex footwear line founded by designer Sunni Dixon, fine jeweler Lauren Godfrey, and as well as James’s own Brother Vellies. “I know firsthand the systemic barriers that Black business owners face in trying to increase their exposure to the larger retail market,” says James. “Collaborations like these are not only crucial for building brand visibility but are an important step to push the industry forward by challenging how corporations approach supporting Black businesses long term. Our partnership with Moda Operandi is rooted in the mutual desire to create a sustainable ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs, all while showcasing their incredible products and designs along the way.” Bringing more talent to the forefront is definitely a step in the right direction toward greater racial equity in fashion.

    To see and shop some of the incredible fashion highlighted within the special collaboration, keep scrolling below.

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    Indya Brown

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  • Fill Up Your Carts: Moda Operandi Teams Up with the 15 Percent Pledge for an Exclusive Trunkshow

    Fill Up Your Carts: Moda Operandi Teams Up with the 15 Percent Pledge for an Exclusive Trunkshow

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    For years, Moda Operandi has been the best, worst-kept-secret of fashion girls. This curated fashion hub sells selects straight from the mind of Lauren Santo Domingo — a Vogue columnist, former socialite, and one of the most stylish people on the planet.


    But what makes Moda a fashion mainstay for those in the know, are its trunk shows. The concept is simple: what if you didn’t have to wait for stunning pieces to land in department stores or storefronts but rather you could order pieces straight off the runway? With that idea, Moda Operandi was born. This innovative platform puts fashion in the hands of the people, not just editors and buyers, and industry gatekeepers. (Well, as long as you can afford it.)

    Now, Moda is known for spotlighting all the latest drops from all the hottest brands. From more affordable, high-quality basics to cool-girl indie brands, to the big-name designers you know and covet, you can find everything you crave on Moda.

    And since they’re obsessed with reflecting the current times, it makes sense that they’ve made major strides in highlighting diverse talent — particularly from Black designers. This year, they’ve unveiled a major initiative to uplift the work of the hottest, most in-demand Black fashion visionaries working right now: a trunk show highlighting Black designers in collaboration with the 15 Percent Pledge.

    The 15 Percent Pledge was started by fashion superstar and founder of the celeb-favorite shoe brand, Brother Vellies — Aurora James. You probably know her from her Met Gala looks — think: Solange in 2018, and that AOC dress in 2021. James sparked the 15 Percent Pledge in 2020 to bring the calls for inclusion and diversity to the world of fashion and beauty.

    The foundation’s mission is simple: Black people are approximately 15% of the population. So Black businesses should take up 15% of shelf space at multi-brand retailers. She has appealed to major retailers to take the pledge and grant more space to Black businesses.

    Retailers that have taken the pledge include Sephora, Nordstrom, MatchesFashion, and Moda Operandi. This new trunk show, which runs until April 7th, takes the pledge a step further, donating 5% of their total proceeds to the Pledge.

    “Moda Operandi has been an important partner as we’ve worked to expand opportunities for Black fashion designers and find new, creative ways to showcase their creations to the world,” James told Vogue. “Uplifting Black business owners is central to our joint mission, and this collaboration is just one piece of our holistic approach to create a sustainable ecosystem for Black businesses.”

    If you follow James on Instagram, you’ll agree that she has spectacular taste. She curated this slate of designers herself to forge a lineup of eight powerful brands which showcase the diversity and vitality on display amongst Black fashion designers.

    “Our goal was to further challenge how the fashion industry interacts with Black creators, and expand the visibility of these incredible brands,” James said. “We hope that consumers and retailers alike can appreciate the craftsmanship and care that each of these brands demonstrates, and see that shopping Black brands is for everyone,” James told Vogue. “Throughout the curation process, we wanted to ensure that consumers had access to a wide selection of styles that demonstrated the diversity among Black brands.”

    Fashion fans will notice familiar brand names and hopefully discover exciting new brands.

    “What is so special about this trunk show is that each designer brings something different to the table—from Harwell Godfrey’s stunning jewelry to Sukeina’s bold and striking collections. And what every business has in common is that each designer has a powerful story, which you can see reflected in every product across their brand.”

    Here are some of the best picks from the exciting, innovative collaboration.


    All products featured are independently selected by our editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

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    LKC

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  • These Are the Black Designers I’m Obsessed With at the Moment

    These Are the Black Designers I’m Obsessed With at the Moment

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    Maybe it was just me, but the 2019 Grammy outfits truly solidified my love for Olivier Rousteing at Balmain. How could one not still be in a tizzy over Béyonce’s iconic look, Jorja Smith’s stunning gold sequin number, or even Kylie Jenner’s avant-garde look? I know he’s been the creative director quite some time (which means I was high-key sleeping on him), but something about the documentary Wonder Boy made me fall in love with him all over again. Maybe it’s his couture, or maybe it’s him, but either way, this a brand and a designer to buy into. 

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    Jasmine Fox-Suliaman

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  • The 31 Best Books Fashion People Read in 2022

    The 31 Best Books Fashion People Read in 2022

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    Between the covers of any good book are pages that transport and enrich the mind of its reader. In 2022, leaders in the fashion industry turned to various texts to inspire their upcoming collections, deepen the knowledge behind their curations and find personal liberty within their identity.

    Major book releases swept the fashion community this year, like Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue’s Edward Enninful’s memoir, “A Visible Man,” in September. Other books like Safia Minney’s made an urgent call to regenerative fashion and a closer look at today’s fashion system. 

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    Andrea Bossi

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  • The Only Party Shoes You Need This Holiday Season

    The Only Party Shoes You Need This Holiday Season

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    It’s officially time to start holiday outfit planning and getting ready to put your best foot forward — literally. 

    One of the best parts of the season is getting together with friends and loved ones. Knowing that those moments will live forever in photos, you want to look your best. Yes, the clothes are important, but so are the shoes — after all, the pair you wear determines how confidently you carry yourself when walking into a room.

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    Andrea Bossi

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